Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-03
With -FOUR BULLETS
A Murder Out at Elm Grove, Early Last
Evening.
WILLIAM O'HEIL THE VICTIM
The Shooting Done by Elmer Clark, a Coal
Miner.
The DETAILS OF The TRAGEDY

Just before five o'clock yesterday after
noon, William 0'Neil, a resident Of this
city, was fatally shot at Elm Grove, by
Elmer Clark, a resident of that place.
Information regarding the tragedy was
rather difficult to obtain last evening, by
reason of the distance Of the scene OF the
shooting from the city, and the further
fact that few people in the immediate
neighbOrhOOd where the affair occurred
were eOnyersant with the circumstances,
but the following is believed to afford
fair outline of the deplOrable event.
A short time ago Elmer Clark came into
this county from Washington, Pa, and
became acquainted with and married Mol
lie Tanner, a we'll known woman who re-
sided on the South Side. The couple
moved to Elm Grove, where Clark, who is
coal miner by occupation, obtained work
at the mine of W. T. Chambers. William
0'Neil, who had been q friend of Clark's
wife before her marriage. seems to have
taken the match very much to heart, and
to have made threats at various times
against Clark.
At an early hour yesterday afternoon
ONeil went ont to Elm Grove, armed with
"A revolver, and seemed to be in a humOr TO
make trouble. He imbibed good deal OF
liquor during the day, and made visit to
Clark's house, where he demanded pho
tograph in Mrs. Clark's possession, which
he claimed belonged to him. ONeil left,
however, and Clark was advised OF the visit.
He was naturally much excited at O'NeiTs
intrusion, and armed himself with a revolt
yer, but his wife entreated him to remain
at home, and he consented to do so.
Clark remained in the house until about
halEpast four o'clock, when he left the
house and started to walk down the Balti-
more 4 Ohio track toward Chambers
coal mines, where he was employed.
When he reached a point on the track
Just in front of Chambers store and near
the mine tipple, Clark met O'Neil, and the
two men at once began to quarrel. Both
men sOon drew their reyolyers, but
O'Neil only half-cOcked his weapon, and
could not, therefore, make it go off.
Clark took advantage of this to get his gun
in line and fired, striking O'Neil through
the right arm. O'Neil turned rs though to
run, when Clark fired a second time, 1.-THE
ball striking O'Neil in the centre OF the
back
Though very badly wounded, O'Neil
again attempted to fire his pistol at Clark.
hut could not do 50, and sank to the
ground. Clark stood over him and fired
two more halls ut the PROSTATE man, one
striking him in the neck Just below the
right ear and the other entering the head
above the ear. Clark then threw his re-
volyer away and walked to the house of
Frank Martin, near by.
The shooting was witnessed by n colOred
man named William Webster and n white
man named William Iinten, and they gave
the alarm, u large crowd quickly gathering.
O'Neil was removed to Chambers grocery
and laid upon the porch, while DIR. Reed
Baird, who CHANGED to he visiting u patient
near by, WAS summoned. DIR. Cracratt, of
Elm Grove, was also soon on the scene. BY
direction of the physicians the wounded man
was taken into the store and laid upon the
Ill
him and hiSwOundseNamined The man was
bleeding cOpiously, and the doctors at once
decided that his injuries were Of very
grave nature. He seemed to be sinking
rapidly at first, but soon revived and
breathed freely and easily. The physicians
dressed his wounds, and then arrange
ments were made to remove the sufferer To
the County Iniirmary, where there were
proper facilities in the hospital for attend
ing to him, but news reached the city
about . O'clock Inst night that the patient
had died before he could be moved. Later
this news was contradicted, it being stated
that the transfer TO the Hospital WAS made,
and that the man was alive at IL o'clock,
hut WAS unconscious. lie will certainly
die, however.
the scene Of the shooting and proceeded to
Martins house in quest OF Clark. lie met
Clark standing in the door. Clark said:
well, suppose yon want me-"
Yes" said Thornhurg What WAS
the trouble"
Clark did not answer and Mrs. Martin
said:
He's talking to yOu?'
II know be is" said Clark, who thus
indicated that he did not intend to answer
questions. The constable took his prison
er before Justice W. J. Brown, who is
sued commitment. Constable William
Love happened to be in Elm Grove at the
time of the shooting, serving some legal
papers, and at the request OF the officers
out there, he acted in conjunction with
Constable Thornburg, and the two, with
the prisoner, boarded the 40 train and
came into this city, when Clark was
lodged in Jail He refused to make any
statement, whatever, except to say that
he had shot O'Neil in self defense
When 0'Neil was picked up from the
railroad track, where he fell after Clark
second shot, his pistol, p caliber reyOl-
yer, with all the chambers loaded, was
found lying about a foot from his head.
The weapon was at half-cOck, which fully
explained why he was unable to fire it.
Ii was taken in charge by Constable Thorn
burg. When searched by the Constable
Clark had nothing in his pockets but q
penknife. All efforts TO find his pistol
were unavaIling
William O'Neil, the victim Of the trag
edy, is young man, who is a catcher by
occupation, but lately he has been work
ing as a heater at the Crescent. He has
been living with his mother at No. 1875
Eighteenth street.
Clark was arrested in Washington conn
ty eighteen months ago for shooting a col
Ored woman. He was adiudged a lunatic
and sent to the insane asylum, but secured
his release by some means and came into
this county, locating ut Elm Grove, as above
stated.
Prosecuting Attorney Jordan and JUS
tice George Ankle went out to Elm Grove
about 4 O'Clock last evening, returning